Pump.fun Moves Beyond Memecoins

[umair]

Pump.fun, the Solana-based memecoin launchpad, has just announced the launch of a new investment division called “Pump Fund,” marking a strategic shift beyond meme-only tokens. This move was unveiled alongside a $3 million “Build in Public” (BiP) Hackathon designed to support early-stage projects — including those outside the typical memecoin space.

Unlike its core business of letting users quickly create and trade meme tokens, Pump Fund aims to back real startups and long-term teams, not just fleeting hype coins. In its first initiative, the platform plans to fund 12 selected projects with roughly $250,000 each at an implied $10 million valuation, providing capital plus mentorship from Pump.fun founders.

A key feature of the BiP Hackathon is its market-driven judging model: participants must launch a token and hold at least 10 % of its supply, with project success evaluated by market engagement rather than a traditional judge panel or venture capitalists. This reflects Pump.fun’s philosophy of letting community interest help determine winners.

This expansion comes as memecoin trading volumes have cooled from their early-2025 highs, prompting the platform to explore additional use cases and extend support to teams building meaningful tech or utility-focused products. By aligning funding with market traction and long-term development, Pump Fund signals a pivot toward more sustainable crypto innovation.

Overall, the initiative represents one of Pump.fun’s first major moves away from solely memecoin-centric activity, offering a blend of venture support and decentralized market validation. It will be worth watching whether this hybrid model can attract projects with real utility and help broaden Pump.fun’s influence in the broader crypto ecosystem.